Leaving no one behind (LNOB) is the transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. But in the emerging markets of the Global South, this is a major challenge.

In countries like India, there is a lack of qualified healthcare and inequitable access to healthcare. According to the World Economic Forum statistics, India has just 64 doctors available per 100,000 people compared to a global average of approximately 150 per 100,000. In addition, primary health centers and sub-centers in rural areas are often woefully understaffed and lack the critical infrastructure to meet patient needs.  

However, the intervention of AI has made significant progress in developing rural healthcare in India. With the rapid development of computers, the internet, advanced statistics, ML, and neural network technology, and the increase in handheld and wearable networked devices such as smartphones and watches, AI technology is bringing revolutionary changes in healthcare.

Solutions like the XraySetu are now considered a vital tool in the arsenal of solutions needed to beat COVID-19 and aid doctors and healthcare workers in India's towns and villages. Another notable one is NIRMAI which uses thermal analytics for early-stage breast cancer detection. NIRAMAI, deep-tech from Bangalore, was founded in July 2016 and has so far raised a total of $7M from institutional investors from India, Japan and Singapore. 

AI also plays a crucial role in Chatbots and voice assistants. They are significant for the collection and management of medical data, as well as for maintaining electronic health records.

The report 

According to recent data from the World Economic Forum, AI-enabled tools offer opportunities to bridge these inequities and reach AI maturity in the healthcare market in India, which is expected to reach $372 billion this year. 

The analysis stated that the 'AI expenditure in India increased by over 109% in 2018, totaling $665 million and is expected to reach $11.78 billion by 2025, adding $1 trillion to India's economy by 2035'. 

Indian Government’s public policy think tank NITI Aayog, has been testing the application of AI in primary care. The test studied early detection of diabetes complications and is currently validating the use of AI as a screening tool in eye care. In addition, it compares the diagnostic accuracy with that of retina specialists.  

According to World Economic Forum, the recently launched de-identified cancer image bank: the Comprehensive Archive of Imaging, by Tata Medical Center and the Indian Institute of Technology, enhances the possibility of oncology research with AI. 

Also, Microsoft's AI Network for Healthcare and Apollo hospitals are developing an ML model to better predict heart attack risks. 

Responsible AI 

Inaccurate decisions can endanger an individual's health. AI requires a massive amount of data from multiple sources. The lack of availability of the data and fragmented data can have negative repercussions on the decision.  

Patients should be aware of how their data might be used to train AI models, and they should clearly be informed of what factors influenced a particular treatment decision or recommendation by a physician. According to the World Economic Forum report, this is significant in the Indian context, where physicians usually spend minimal time with each patient.  

Integrating AI into healthcare systems requires understanding AI in national curricula for medical and public health students. World Economic Forum also recommends Indian government make appropriate investments in data infrastructure, such as interoperability, unified EMR and data stewardship. In addition, the government must also invest in and build public-private partnerships across the healthcare sector.  

According to the article, India is a founding member of the Global Partnership on AI alliance and has thus far adopted a measured approach to the integration of AI in keeping with ethical and responsible standards. These principles must be applied in practice as technology develops. 

India's adoption of AI can bridge the rural-urban gap without leaving anyone behind. As a result, India will be capable of leading other emerging markets in meeting the SDGs.